PHUKET, June 28 (TNA) – Thailand has completed installation of an early warning system for tsunamis covering six at-risk Andaman Coast provinces.

Vice Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office and chairman of the National Disaster Committee Smith Tumsaroch on Wednesday presided over a meeting of agencies concerned with the operation.

The meeting was told that the tsunami warning system has been installed in 444 locations in the six provinces, with connections enabling direct links with the National Disaster Warning Centre in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok.

In addition, the Thai government plans to install disaster warning buoys in two deep-sea locations. The offshore technology has been financed by US government aid while the Thai government will shoulder maintenance costs of about Bt360 million per year.

The government also plans to equip 17 provinces on the Gulf of Thailand coast with disaster warning devices.

With all these facilities, the Thai government claims it will have one of the world's best tsunami early
warning systems.